Manure and gravel loader



May 6 1924.

E. JOHNSON MANURE AND GRAVEL LOADER Filed Jag. 2o'. 1923 3 sheets-sheet 1 May 6 1924.. 1,492,801

E. JOHNSON MANURE AND GRAVEL LOADER Filed Jan. zo, 1923 '3 sheets-sheet 2 W firm/MEX Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT MANURE `AND GnAvEL LOADER.

Application led January 20, 1923. Serial'No. 613,872.

To all whom it may concern: n

Be it known that I, EDWARD JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cooperstown, in the county of Griggs and n State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Manure and Gravel Loaders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX-act description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which `it appertains tol make and use the same. v

This invention relates to a loading device, and particularly to such a device constructed and arranged to load manure, gravel, etc., onto a manure spreader, wagon or other vehicle, and the device is particularly deknown, the stable manure on the farms is usuallyhauled to the fields at certain periods and the hand loading of this material occupies a large part of the time. Considerable hauling of gravel for road work is also done by people in rural communities and elsewhere, the hand loading usually takes the greater part of the time.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a device upon which the manure or gravel can be placed by Scrapers drawn by teams and Vthe material then elevated and loaded onto a wagon or other vehicle by one operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device comprising an upright frame on which is mounted a swin ing beam having means at o-ne end by whic it can be depressed and having a loading device at its other end beneath which the vehicle may be driven to receive the load.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a loading device comprising a platform having swinging doors or sec-k tions therein hinged along their outer sides so that they may be swung downwardly to discharge the load.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide such a platform havings a rectangular frame with a pair of doors therein hinged about their outer sides, rods pivoted to the ends of said doors, means on the elevating beam for operating said doors and supporting means on said rectangular frame adapted to be attached to said beam by which the platform ymay be lifted.

These and other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with thefaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a view of the device in sider elevation, another position thereof being' shown in dottedlines;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the loading y i beam also showing a portion of the ver' tical frame; f

Fig. 3 is an end view of the loading beam, as seen from the left hand side of'Fi'g. 2;

Fig. 4i is a platform; y y y Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section taken on theline 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6y is a vertical 'section taken on the I y.line 6 6 Of Figmt; signed for work about a farm. As is well Fig. 7 is a partial view in endelevation i of the platform; and y Fig. 8 isa verticalsection taken von the lline 8,-8 of/Figf. lReferrimg to the drawings, the device.Y l

central vertical frame comprising the mem-` bers 2 'and 3, Vwhich frame, as shown, is of triangular formation and the members 2 and 3 forming the same are connected vby metal plates l1 tothe base member 1, said* members also being tied Vby a suitable plate 5 at their upper ends. The said, vertical frame comprises three portions, as indicated in Fig. 2, which portions will be suitably tied together andmade rigid with connecting pieces and braces not shown. The shaft 6 is mounted in suitable bearings on ythe top of the vertical frame members and formsy the pivo-t shaft-for a beam member designated generally as 7 fwhich is formed with suitable trunnions fitting over the shaft 6 and comprises spaced longitudinal members 8 tied together at 'their ends by members- 9 and 10 and suitablyfbraced by cross brace members 11. The beam 7 is of trussed formation and comprises trusses at each side' extending below the members 8 and comprising the diagonal members 12 rigidly and ksecurely fastened to the vertical side plan' View of the loading members 13. Suitable cross pieces and brace:

plan, the beam is of trapezoidal shape. The member 9 has secured centrally thereof and depending therefrom, an eye bolt 14 adapted to receive a tackle block 15. Another eye bolt 16 projects upwardly from the base member 1 beneath the member 9 and has attached thereto a suitable tackle block 17. A rope, cable or other flexible member 18 is lsecured to the block 15 andpassed one or more times around the tackle blocks 15 and 17 and extends from the latter, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, said flexible member being adapted to be drawn out by a team of horses or other tractor. rfhe memberY 10 has secured adjacent each end and depending from the underside thereof, hook members 19 forming the supports for a loading platform to be now described.

Said loading platform comprises a rectangular frame member Having end pieces 20 and side pieces 21, said pieces being suitably reinforced at the corners and bound together thereat by metal plates. A metal plate or bar 20a is also secured to the top of the members 20 and extends longitudinally thereof. Disposed within the said rectangular frame are door sections 22 illustrated as formed of longitudinally extending planks or panels but having side panels 23 upstanding therefrom at their outer sides,

said panels 23 being secured to said sections by metal angle members 24. The ends of the sections 22 have extending thereunder metal plates 25 and hinges 26 are secured to said plates and to the side members 21 so that the doors'or sections 22 are hinged to the sides of the rectangular frame for downwardly swinging movement. Short metal plates 27 are secured to the doors 22 and project from the ends thereof adjacent the inner corners of said doors and said plates have pivoted in apertures therein, rods 28, which rods are illustratedA as having a plu rality of links 29 at their other ends. It will be noted that said rods, when in herizontal position, are disposed between the ends of the doors 22 and the end members 20 of the frame. Suitable eye bolts 30 are secured at each corner of said rectangular frame and have pivoted therein the lower ends of rods 31, which rods also have secured to their other ends a plurality of chain links 32. Certain of the links 32 are adapted to be engaged in the hook members 19 depending from the end members 10 of the beam and thus form the support for the platform. The links 29 on the rods 28 at each end of the frame are adapted to be engaged in a hook depending from a tackle block it being understood that there is such a tackle block and hook for the rods at each end of the doors 22. Said tackle blocks 33 are carried by ropes or flexible members 34 which pass over pulley blocks 35 swingingly mounted by suitable eye bolts adjacent the ends of members 10 and depending therefrom. Said flexible members 31 also pass over pulleys in blocks 36 swingingly mounted in suitable eye bolts projecting at the inner side of the members 10 and said flexible members extend lengthwise of the beam and are adapted to be secured to eye bolts extending through a windlass shaft 37 about which shaft said flexible members are adapted to be wound. The shaft 37 is journaled in the members 8 of the beam adjacent the end member 9 and projects at ene side thereof where it is equipped with a hand crank member 38, and a suitable ratchet 39 and pawl 40.

In operation, the device will be set so that the top of the base member 1 is substantially flush with the surface of the ground. The platform will be lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1 and the links 29 and -32 on rods 28 and 31, respectively, will be removed from the respective hooks, the rods 28 being disposed at the ends of the rectangular frame of the platform, as shown in Fig. 4, and the rods 31 disposed at the sides of the platform. The material to be loaded can now be placed on the platform in any suitable manner and is preferably loaded by scrapers drawn by teams of horses. The rods 28 will be protected and kept from contact with the Scrapers by the end members 2O and the iron plates 20a on the latter members will prevent wear thereon. The

material may be loaded onto both ends of the platform and the ends of the platform will thus be kept fairly clear. When sufficient material has been placed upon the platform, theV rods 28 and 31 will be hooked up by their respective links, as shown in Fig. 1. The windlass shaft 37 is turned until the flexible members 34 are taut and the rods 28 stand in substantially vertical position and the shaft is held in this position by the pawl and ratchet members 39 and 40. Power is now applied to the cable 16 and the end member 9 of the beam will be drawn downwardly, as indicated in the dotted line position, Fig. 1, the load of material and the platform being consequently raised. The wagon, manure spreader, or other vehicle to receive the load of material will now be driven under the platform and the load of material can be dumped therein by operation of the doors or sections 22 by manipulating the crank 38. Owing to the diameter o'f shaft 37, the crank can be easily con trolled manually, but if desired, the pawl 40 may be simply raised and the weight of the load allowed to swing the doors 22 downwardly and rotate the shaft 37. The load of material having been thus discharged, the door sections 22 are again drawn to closed position and the windlass locked in place. The end member 10 of the beam is then lowered to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and the loading operation will be repeated.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a simple and eiiicient form of loading device and one having great utility about a farm or similar establishment. The material can be quickly loaded on the platform by means of horses or tractors and the same then very quickly loaded into the wagon. The device is preferably constructed of lumber which is of a. type easily procurable and the device is reinforced with suitable metal plates. By mounting the device on the base member 1 the same ca'n be readily drawn about to the desired place of use. The machine is easily constructed and comprises only parts which are usually readily obtainable on a.farm or in rural communities. The machine has been thoroughly demonstrated in actual use and found to be very eficient for the purpose intended.

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts` without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A loading device comprising, avertical supporting frame, a horizontal shaft mounted therein adjacent the to-p thereof, a trussed beam pivoted substantially centrally on said shaft, means at one end of said beam, for pulling said end downwardly, a loading platform suspended from the other end of said beam comprising a' rectangular frame and doors disposed therein and hinged along the side thereof, and means mounted on said beam for operating said doors.

2. A loading device comprising a beam mounted to swing about an elevated horizontal axis, a loading platform suspended at one end of said beam comprising an open rectangular frame, doors Idisposed within and hinged along the sides of said frame, rods pivoted adjacent the inner edges of said doors at the ends thereof and adapted to be disposed between said doors and the ends of said frame, and means connected to said rods and supported on said beam for swinging said doors about the hinges to close and open the same.

3. A loading device comprising a beam mounted to swing about an elevated horizontal axis, said beam having a transverse member at one end having depending hooks at each end thereof, a loading platform comprising a rectangular frame, rods pivoted at each corner of said frame and having links at their other ends, a pair of said rods at each end of said frame being adapted to have the links carried thereby engaged over one of said hooks, doors disposed in said frame and hinged thereto along the sides thereof, rods pivoted to the innercorners of said door, and means on said beam connected to said rods and adapted to move the same to swing said doors.

4. A loading device comprising a beam mounted to swing about a horizontal axis, a loading platform suspended from one end thereof comprising an open rectangular frame, doors disposed inv said frame and hinged thereto along the sides thereof, rods pivoted adjacent the inner edges of said door at the ends thereof, flexible members carrying means adapted to engage the pairs of rods at each end of said doors and passing over pulleys supported on said beam, and a windlass mounted in one end of sai-d beam for controlling said flexible members tol open and close said doors.

5. A loading device having in combination, a beam mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a windless shaft journaled in said beam and extending transversely Iadjace-nt one end thereof, a pawl and ratchet mechanism for said shaft,

a pair of spaced pulleys swingingly mounted on the other end ofsaid beam at the inner side thereof, a pair of spaced swinging- -ly mounted pulleys depending from the last mentioned end of said beam adjacent the corners thereof, a loading platform suspended from the last mentioned end of said beam having downwardly swinging sections therein, means attached to each end of said sections, and flexible members secured to said means running over one of each of said pairs of pulleys and secured to each end of said windlass shaft.

6. A loading device comprising a platform having an open rectangular frame, a pair of doors disposed in said frame and hinged along the sides thereof, said doors having side panels upstanding therefrom at their outer longitudinal edges, rods pivoted at one end to said Idoors adjacent the inner corners thereof and between said doors and the ends of said frame and adapted to be disposed between said doors and frame, said rods having a plurality of links at their other ends, rods pivoted at each corner of said frame, members connected to the other ends of said last mentioned rods to lift said platform, and means connected to the links of said first mentioned rods to swing said doors on their hinges.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

' EDWARD JOHNSON, 

